Matthew Perry's Family Addresses His Death & Fans in New Statement

Matthew Perry's family is speaking out in the wake of his death -- and they're addressing both the suddenness of losing him ... and the love they've received in the aftermath.

The actor's family tells TMZ ... "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love."

It's brief, but impactful ... especially considering how strongly folks have reacted to the news.

Of course, members of Matt's family were on the scene last night -- including his parents, Suzanne Morrison and John Bennett Perry -- pulling up to his property and looking sorrowful. Even his stepfather, Keith Morrison, arrived and was moving through police tape.

Perry's parents split while he was young ... and his mother went on to marry Keith and have children with him -- including 3 girls and 1 boy, all of whom are MP's half-siblings. Keith also has a son from a previous marriage.

While his mom and dad might've not been together through most of his life -- they displayed a united front Saturday night in front of paps ... this while investigators did their work.

Countless stars and showbiz types have been pouring on the tributes for Matt -- including some old "Friends" staffers ... mostly folks behind the scenes. We still haven't heard directly from any of his main costars ... who've all been radio silent since TMZ broke the news.

An investigation into Matthew's death is ongoing ... but we know he was discovered unresponsive in his hot tub. No foul play is suspected, and no illicit drugs were found either.

He was 54.